Halloween Costumes: Fun For The Whole Family?

We're good friends with a family who dressed up as the Incredibles last Halloween. It was—well—incredible. Each family member matched perfectly with one of the characters from the animated movie, and they even had portraits taken by a professional photographer friend. I was impressed with the family as a whole: with the effect of five people showing up to parties in perfect costume, with the kids' enthusiasm for the theme and for the parents' willingness to be kind of goofy for the sake of their kids—and in Spandex, no less. I admired them as I sat in my standard blue jeans. thinking, "There is absolutely no way I would dress up with my family."

I've just never been one to dress up. Don't misunderstand... I love rocking the cocktail dress and the stilettos as much as the next girl, but putting on thigh highs and a mini-skirt and calling myself a French maid? Not really my thing. My husband and I have pulled off a few successful couples halloween costume ideas under pressure, though. We were invited to a theme party once where costumes were mandatory, and we turned out a pretty impressive Margot and Richie Tennenbaum, if I do say so myself. I even had the wooden finger (crafted out of a brown grocery bag) and a fur coat borrowed from a local thrift shop. But generally speaking, I'm more comfortable being the party pooper than I am sweating in a cheap polyester costume. 50 Couples Halloween Costumes

This year, my town declared that trick-or-treating would take place on Saturday the 30th, rather than the school night of the 31st. While this makes perfect sense for a child's sleep schedule, it foiled my plans to attend an adult party Saturday night. I knew that I wouldn’t be ridiculed (much) if I showed up out of costume, but I was actually even kicking around the idea of coming up with a funny costume that made the most of my pregnant circumstances. The priority was obviously costumes for my kids, though.

I know many moms who hand make creative costumes for their children each year. I'm not that mom, so last week I took my 7-year-old daughter to the costume store. The store was my idea of hell: dark, loud and congested. She had a blast. Despite my commitment to a bad attitude, her excitement ultimately won me over. As she tried on masks, held up outrageous options and bounced up and down, I couldn't help but grin at her. (I was also grinning out of relief that she showed zero interest in the thigh high and mini-skirt options I despise.) Are You Dressing Sexy This Halloween?

I convinced my daughter to choose a costume that she could pair with something for her 1-year-old brother, and she settled on Dorothy, with him as the Cowardly Lion. She discovered the wonder of the Wizard of Oz this year and, while the costume isn't by any means creative, it captured her excitement and was the perfect solution. As she scampered toward the aisle featuring overpriced red-sequin shoes, she passed a display of witch hats and screeched to a halt. She turned to me with her eyes wide. "Mom!" she exclaimed. "You can be the Wicked Witch!"